Two children were struck by cars near Rouse Hill Public School before death of Islah Metcalfe
Islah Metcalfe, five, died after being struck by a car last month outside Rouse Hill Public School. (Supplied)
In short:
Parents at Rouse Hill Public School want more action on road safety after learning two children were hit by cars months before a young girl was fatally struck.
Islah Metcalfe, aged five, died after she was hit by a ute leaving the school car park a fortnight ago.
What's next?
Traffic management personnel have been posted outside the school since Islah died.
Parents are demanding more action to improve road safety around a Western Sydney school after learning more children were hit by cars in the months before a five-year-old girl was fatally struck.
The ABC can reveal two children were hit by cars in a street close to Rouse Hill Public School in May this year and some parents say they had no idea.
On May 23, a seven-year-old boy was hit by a car on Aberdour Avenue, less than 250 metres from where Islah Metcalfe was fatally hit by a car leaving a school driveway on October 30.
The boy sustained a broken leg, a knock on the head and was taken to Westmead children's hospital.
Two more children were hit by cars in a street close to Rouse Hill Public School in May. (ABC News: Liam Patrick)
Ryan Barnes was the first on scene when the boy was hit.
"It was just awful to hear the screams of the children out there," he said.
"The boy's two siblings who were walking home tried to move him. I went out there and started coordinating people and got someone calling the ambulance."
Mr Barnes, who has lived in the area for almost 10 years, has three children attending the nearby school.
He said congestion in streets around the school had "ramped up" over the past six months.
One week after, another child was hit on the same street by a car around the same school pick-up time of 3:30pm.
A parent, who was the first on scene during one of the May incidents, spoke of the ordeal. (ABC News: Liam Patrick)
This six-year-old was also transported to Westmead children's hospital with minor injuries.
According to the Department of Education, the second incident involved a parent's car and their own child getting into it.
Both instances happened about 175 metres outside the designated school zone.
Flowers placed by members of the public outside Rouse Hill Public School after Islah's death. (ABC News: Tony Ibrahim)
NSW Police and Ambulance NSW responded to both incidents and no charges were laid against the drivers.
The driver of the car who allegedly hit Islah has not been charged and police say investigations are still underway.
At least three issues of the school's newsletter in June and July included "Road Safety" reminders from the principal and his deputies.
The school also conducted a road safety seminar with students.
Parents not notified
Victoria Garcia-Todd, whose nine-year-old daughter attends Rouse Hill Public School, said it was "very scary" parents were not notified about the two May incidents.
"It's terrifying that this has happened twice before and that it could possibly happen again unless we act immediately," she said.
Traffic management personnel were posted last week outside the car park where Islah was hit.
Victoria Garcia-Todd, whose nine-year-old daughter also goes to Rouse Hill Public School. (ABC News: Nabil Al-Nashar)
The Department of Education said since November 6, it had provided funding for four traffic controllers at the school at peak times.
Ms Garcia-Todd has been advocating for improved road safety around the school and fears the additional measure is a temporary bandaid solution.
"I know it's the last term of the school year, but my fear is that everything will be temporary and when the new school year starts again, it'll just kind of go back to what it was before," she said.
Traffic management personnel were posted last week outside the car park at the school. (ABC News: Liam Patrick)
Ms Garcia-Todd started a petition demanding better safety standards and policies for children in the Rouse Hill and Box Hill communities.
"I think that the voices and the concerns of parents have not been heard enough."
The petition demands school staff and management have a face-to-face meeting with parents to discuss the school's plan, permanent mirrors to be installed at the double-blind spots, and for better transparency.
It also calls on the Hills Shire Council to install permanent traffic cameras at all vehicle entry and exit points of the school, and to install traffic lights at the intersection at Adelphi Street and Aberdour Avenue.
One local parent has started a petition demanding better safety standards. (ABC News: Liam Patrick)
'Challenging school traffic environment'
Mr Barnes said he thought the school made a "stellar effort" in response to the May incidents, but he did not think council "took adequate action in addressing these issues".
Hills Shire Council said it was aware of the concerns raised by the community regarding traffic and parking management around the school.
In a statement, it described Rouse Hill Public School as "one of the most challenging school traffic environments in The Hills Shire".
"It [the school] is the sixth-biggest public primary school in NSW with 1,198 students.
"Council understands that this is double the previously designated enrolment cap for the school."
Islah died after being hite by a ute leaving the school's car park. (ABC News)
Council is also "investigating crossing options along Aberdour Avenue near the intersection of Clower Avenue to serve the school and bus stops on this road", according to the statement.
It added its officers "regularly conduct patrols in the area and, earlier this year, worked with NSW Police on joint operations targeting parking and driving infringements".
Mr Barnes said he believed there was a systemic issue and that the school was "overcrowded".
"I know there's been pop-up schools in Box Hill and they're moving too slowly on it," he said.